News

Extra gardai to man border

THE Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) is recruiting an extra 150 officers to help curb the flow of illegal immigrants into the country.

The recruitment drive will more than double the size of the unit, at a cost of €10m.

The increase will account for half of the total number of gardai recruited this year, prompting concern that too much attention is being focused on immigration.

Joe Costello, Labour spokesman on justice, criticised the move, saying: “There are not enough gardai on the streets, and recent public order figures show that. While the allocation to this unit is useful, communities around the country are in dire need of extra gardai.”

Last year, the government was criticised when it reneged on a pre-election promise to hire 2,000 extra gardai due to budgetary constraints.

A department of justice spokesman said: “The additional members will enhance the capacity of the bureau to conduct